A Petition, 1790

 Jan. 18th   New Kent Co.   Petition for the pardon of slave Phil. 

BARTLETT WILLIAMS, ATTORNEY FOR THE COUNTY AND THE MEMBERS OF THE COURT TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE HONORABLE, THE COUNCIL OF STATE. 

Petition for the pardon of Phil., negro slave of Wm. Tyree, tried & convicted of felony, and sentenced to be hung. The court declare that the Commonwealth's attorney showed them a law for hanging the said negro, and that upon their afterwards Coming in the Tavern, they were informed by the Hon. Edmund Randolph that the law under which they were led to act was not in force, and the offence was punishable by branding in the hand. The attorney & court all unite in the prayer for pardon.